In this episode, Jeff Oddo shares the journey of transforming his family's janitorial business into a nationwide franchise powerhouse. From early leadership failures and emotional burnout to rediscovering purpose through significance and servant leadership, Jeff reveals how vision, values, and vulnerability fueled massive growth. Learn how City Wide grew from one company to over 100 franchises, all rooted in culture, clarity, and the ripple effect.

Additional Resources:

Jeff Oddo, President/CEO at City Wide Facility Solutions: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffoddo/

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Key Takeaways:

• True fulfillment in leadership comes from making a meaningful impact, not just financial gain.
• Jeff's early management mistakes taught him the value of humility, mentorship, and people-first leadership.
• Shifting from doing to teaching allowed Jeff to scale his business and serve more people through a replicable model.
• Clear processes and training manuals not only enabled growth, but also freed Jeff from micromanagement.
• Every franchisee is vetted on mission, vision, and values, because shared beliefs are the foundation of sustainable success.

In this insightful episode, Ben Hutton, President of Hutton, shares his transformative journey from a twelve-year-old shop sweeper to the leader of a thriving 400-person construction and facility services company. The conversation explores the unique challenges of second-generation leadership, specifically the pressure to emulate a founder's style. Ben candidly discusses his "3 a.m. moment"—a point of burnout caused by trying to lead with his father's forceful, operational approach rather than leaning into his own strengths.

For family business leaders, this episode serves as a case study in self-awareness and organizational evolution. Ben details how he shifted from being a bottleneck to a visionary leader by identifying his "unique ability" and empowering a separate President to handle operations. The discussion dives deep into the rigorous work of discovering authentic core values, the power of storytelling to connect a dispersed workforce, and the necessity of defining success through the lens of purpose rather than just profit margins.

Key Themes

• Transitioning Leadership Styles
• The Power of Unique Ability
• Authentic Value Discovery
• Storytelling as Strategy
• Community as a Stakeholder
• Redefining Success

Timestamps

• 03:26 - Early memories of the company and longtime employees who are still with Hutton today
• 08:05 - Returning to Wichita and building credibility through roles in operations, project management, and business development
• 12:22 - Growth from 80 to 400 employees and the realization that empowering others was the key to scaling
• 15:08 - Ben's burnout moment at 3 a.m. and the start of a leadership transformation
• 23:05 - Why leading through culture takes constant communication, story-sharing, and clarity of purpose
• 30:08 - Distilling the company's values into four words: Lead, Inspire, Respect, Construct
• 34:52 - Creating the company purpose statement and defining success around team members' dreams, clients' vision, and communities' future
• 44:05 - Tornado response story that showed both client care and deep care for a superintendent who lost his home
• 54:34 - Why community is a core stakeholder and how Hutton gives back through volunteer time and donated expertise
• 58:51 - Ben's professional and personal legacy: building an enduring company and loving his family well
  
  

Additional Resources

Connect with Ben on Linkedin

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Jonathan Coors, Co-CEO of CoorsTek, details the evolution of a fifth-generation family enterprise that expanded from the iconic Coors brewery into a global industrial ceramics leader. Jonathan shares his personal journey from working in politics to navigating the family business, emphasizing the necessity of earning credibility through mentorship and humility. A central focus of the conversation is the family's innovative approach to succession: rather than selecting a single successor, they established an "Office of the CEO" comprising Jonathan, his brother, and his cousin.

This structure leverages their complementary strengths, fosters robust strategic debate, and mitigates potential family conflict. Jonathan also discusses the critical role of values-based leadership. Viewing the company as a "marble masterpiece" to be shaped, and the importance of authenticity when leading a global workforce of 5,000. It provides actionable insights on stewardship, the strategic advantages of taking a company private, and the discipline required to ensure family assets grow for future generations.

Key Themes:

Collaborative Governance (Office of the CEO)

Strategic Patience & Privatization

Stewardship vs. Ownership

Feedback Loops in Family Firms

Universal Values with Local Application

Timestamps:

07:46 - Why ceramics matter & how they enable modern technology

09:05 - Story of Adolf Coors & the founding of the brewery

12:33 - How Coors survived Prohibition & the role of entrepreneurship

13:03 - What drove the longevity of the Coors brand & family business

15:51 - Major growth milestones at CoorsTek, including acquisitions & global expansion

19:08 - Why CoorsTek went public briefly & then returned to private family ownership

36:09 - Creation of the three-person Office of the CEO & how the model works

48:25 - Leadership through culture, authenticity, & values in a 5,000-person global company

Additional Resources:

Connect with Jonathan Coors on LinkedIn

Connect with Marshall on LinkedIn

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